Cool weather conditions during testing hampered teams’ attempts to run useful testing programmes. Having left Spain for Australia, the weather on the other side of the world appears to be no more co-operative.
Melbourne’s capricious climate is running true to form. The teams were greeted by hot weather when they landed in the state of Victoria earlier this week. But clouds have blown in and there is a chance of showers on all three of the coming days.
For the most part these will be brief and light. The biggest threat to the on-track action appears to be on Saturday, when the all-important qualifying session could be affected by rain.
Friday shouold be the warmest of the three days with temperatures around 26C. It will begin with light drizzle but that will clear up during the morning, meaning there is a good chance most of that day’s practice will be unaffected. The F1 action begins at 12:30pm local time.
However on Saturday the temperature will fall by around 5C and showers will become more frequent during the afternoon. The teams will be keeping a close eye on the radars as the start of qualifying at 5pm approaches.
Sunday will be much the same but any showers are likely to be concentrated in the first half of the day. The race, which also starts at 5pm, should remain dry. But as the circuit is unlikely to ‘rubber-in’ due to the rain, grip levels will remain low and could add to the teams’ problems with tyre graining.
This is the fifth year the race has had its later starting time and the low, intense sunlight tends to create visibility problems. Sunset is at 7:36pm which should be well after the chequered flag falls, unless there is a stoppage for some reason.
Keep an eye on these weather radars for more on the forecast for Melbourne.
There will be regular updates on the track conditions during each session on F1 Fanatic Live and the F1 Fanatic Twitter account.
Location of Albert Park, Melbourne
See the location of every race on the 2013 F1 calendar here:
BasCB (@bascb)
14th March 2013, 18:00
Ha, Button will feel everything is right to win this one. But maybe so will Hamilton, Webber and Maldonado and the rest :-)
Kingshark (@kingshark)
14th March 2013, 18:03
@bascb
I disagree. Last year Ferrari were way better than McLaren in the wet. I anything, Jenson will be praying for a dry weekend.
Blackmamba (@blackmamba)
14th March 2013, 18:12
Last year is last year, and with stable rules I’m sure all teams being fairly intelligent people will have learned from last year and won’t be making the same mistakes. But when did it ever become gospel that Button was the best on the grid in the wet.
JamieFranklinF1 (@jamiefranklinf1)
14th March 2013, 18:46
@Kingshark – Wasn’t this due to the pull-rod helping to create tyre temperature though? Which if that’s the case, will obviously now be an advantage to McLaren as well, and no-one can forget Jenson’s incredible ability in changeable conditions!
socksolid (@socksolid)
14th March 2013, 19:01
Pullrod can not create tyre temperature. Different suspension geometry can do that and for rain there is nothing in pullrod suspension that would make it better in the rain or for creating tyre temps.
robfff
14th March 2013, 19:06
Ferrari have a years more experience with it though :P
Kingshark (@kingshark)
14th March 2013, 19:21
@jamiefranklinf1
Nope, nothing to do with pullrod suspension, as @socksolid wrote:
Malaysian GP Race:
– At this point Ferrari still had severe problems with the exhaust design of the car.
– Alonso lapping 1.6 seconds faster than Hamilton in the rain, and nearly lapped Button.
Great Britain Qualifying:
– Button out in Q1 and 18th.
– Alonso on pole position, Hamilton 1.8 seconds slower.
German GP Qualifying:
– Alonso on pole position again.
– Hamilton and Button both 3.5 seconds slower than Alonso.
Yeah, Ferrari is going to destroy McLaren if it rains in Melbourne.
Aced
14th March 2013, 20:25
You need to realize that McLaren took care of most of the problems they were having in the wet. As you may have noticed if you paid attention they were in a really good position in Brazil.
OmarR-Pepper (@)
14th March 2013, 22:18
@kingshark What people remembers is his half Victory in Malaysia with Brawn (half points, half victory) his pressing on Vettel until he made a mistake and brought Button victory in Canada, his inherited victory in Brazil last year… I mean, THERE are examples to say Button can go well in the rain. We aren’t saying he’s the next magic Senna, but he really has quite ability into changing conditions.
Kingshark (@kingshark)
15th March 2013, 3:37
@omarr-pepper
I’ve certainly never doubter Button’s talents in the wet. However, I am questioning whether McLaren can provide him with a good enough car.
Rob Wilson (@rob-wilson)
14th March 2013, 18:20
How come Maldonado gets a mention? XD I didn’t realise he was going for the win this weekend!
Aish Heydrich (@aish)
14th March 2013, 18:22
No he’s going for the kill, of course, and he can blame the rain. :D
Giuseppe (@giuseppe)
14th March 2013, 23:30
Yeah. He’ll probably be aiming for Hamilton. Unless Hamilton aims for him first :))
Aish Heydrich (@aish)
15th March 2013, 8:26
@giuseppe: Yeah and don’t forget Grosjean. He’ll probably be aiming everybody in front of him. XD
George (@george)
14th March 2013, 18:14
I wonder how dark the end of the race will be if there are rainclouds blocking the sun?
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
14th March 2013, 21:28
@george Quite. There’s always the possibility of the race being red flagged if there’s a lack of light.
Blackmamba (@blackmamba)
14th March 2013, 18:16
I would hate an inconclusive weekend in the wet, coz I think we really need to see who is quick on out right pace in normal conditions for the Predictions Championship if nothing else.
George (@george)
14th March 2013, 21:23
@blackmamba Australia is a bad track for that anyway, wait for Malaysia.
Aish Heydrich (@aish)
14th March 2013, 18:22
RAIN YEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Steven (@steevkay)
14th March 2013, 21:45
My sentiments are similar: BRING IT ON.
Gridl0k
14th March 2013, 18:29
I see Civil Twilight as being at 1854, so yet again they’re cutting it close
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight#Civil_twilight
JerseyF1 (@jerseyf1)
14th March 2013, 19:10
If sunset is at 7:36pm isn’t this saying “Civil Twilight” (which I must admit I’ve never heard of before) will be nearly 8pm?
Aish Heydrich (@aish)
14th March 2013, 19:49
Civil Twilight- Still a better love story than Twilight.
hzh (@hzh00)
14th March 2013, 19:58
nice one
OmarR-Pepper (@)
14th March 2013, 22:20
@aish I still wonder how that story became so popular, if it’s soooo booringzzzzzzzzzzzzz… ups, I fell asleep just thinking about it
Pelican (@pelican)
14th March 2013, 20:42
Especially if it’s cloudy. It’d be pretty uncool if they had to cut the first race of the season short.
Nomore (@nomore)
14th March 2013, 20:11
Hope for a dry weekend… i want to see the pace of the cars
Commendatore (@commendatore)
14th March 2013, 20:35
Yeah, GO GO Schumi! He looks nice on the photo. :D
Anywho, looking forward the new season… hope the German will battle for the title! :)
Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
14th March 2013, 21:38
@commendatore – the German being Vettel? Schumacher’s not racing, so either you’ve been mistaken or I need to re-evaluate my preconceptions of your support for certain drivers…
OmarR-Pepper (@)
14th March 2013, 22:14
@vettel1 you can still support Schumacher in the Profile Section (it probably needs updating or erasing his name, but Schumi fans could complain, couldn’t they? :P
Mike (@mike)
14th March 2013, 22:26
He’s looking at the picture in the article.
Aish Heydrich (@aish)
15th March 2013, 8:30
Correct. Why did he say he looks nice on the photo though! He looks… normal, he’s just sitting there. All you can see is his helmet.
Commendatore (@commendatore)
15th March 2013, 17:18
A inevitable bit of trolling there. Sometimes I just can’t help it, and the pic didn’t help… ;)
My point is that I wish Shumi could stay in F1 a bit longer. Sad to see THE KAISER leave F1. Anyway, my support for this season (as always) will go to Ferrari to win the WCT with Massa preferably beating Alonso and perhaps even winning the WDT. :P
justin d womack (@schumijw)
14th March 2013, 21:10
Why can’t everyone just be happy F1 is finally under way?
tmax (@tmax)
14th March 2013, 22:36
Mercedes will be loving both the cooler temperatures and the rain I guess. If it is hot down there, the Mercedes might be in trouble as per last year’s records. More over Lewis & Nico can do a decent job in the rain. it will be really interesting. Rains back in Australia means we are picking up right where we have left off in Brazil last year.
okay guys it is Friday Morning in Australia.. It all comes down to this. The 2013 season is officially on the way today at Albert park. Looking forward to the practice sessions. :) he he. oh yeah the F1 drought of 4 months has made even practice session interesting for me :(
Bradley Downton (@bradley13)
14th March 2013, 22:48
BBC Weather are predicting Hail…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2158177
Have we ever had hail at and F1 event before?
That could be… interesting.
Nonnu
14th March 2013, 23:25
I would just like to say that I am not quite excited enough.
Ryan (@rgbargie)
14th March 2013, 23:35
Should mix things up a bit! (I hope).
William (@william)
15th March 2013, 8:24
It’s suppose to rain for Qualifying and Race with windy with heavy rain for quali and light rain forecast for the race